Yama-I Warehouse in Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture

About a 4-minute drive from Sakata Station on the JR Uetsu Main Line in Yamagata Prefecture lies the Sankyo Warehouses, a nationally designated historic site. You can rent electric bicycles at the Miraini complex in front of the station. Built in 1893 as a warehouse for storing rice, all 12 buildings remained in active use as rice warehouses until 2022. I was overwhelmed by the size of the warehouses themselves, the massive zelkova trees planted to shield them from the sun and wind, and the sight of them stretching deep into the complex. It’s a sense of “scale” that’s hard to experience firsthand, so I highly recommend visiting if you’re in the area.

Mountain Retreat Warehouse